Diepenbrock’s earliest compositions include five songs on texts by Goethe. Two of them, the ballads Mignon and Der König in Thule (The King in Thule, RC 16) date from 1886. After a revision by the composer, they were published in 1889 and dedicated to the singing teacher Cateau Esser.
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Mignon
(incipit)

Text source: Heinrich Heine,
Buch der Lieder (Rotterdam 1863), 174

Manuscripts: autograph lost (see RC 3) ♦ copy of the 1885 edition with alterations by Diepenbrock

Diepenbrock’s earliest compositions include five songs on texts by Goethe. Two of them, the ballads Mignon and Der König in Thule (The King in Thule, RC 16) date from 1886. After a revision by the composer, they were published in 1889 and dedicated to the singing teacher Cateau Esser.

The famous poem Mignon from Goethe’s novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship) deals with the theme of ‘longing’ for Italy, embodied in the young girl who yearns for her fatherland. The poem’s hallmark is Mignon’s question which opens each of the three strophes. As a fledgling composer, it was a challenge for the 21-year-old Diepenbrock to tread in the footsteps of many masters. He was clearly fascinated by the character of Mignon, because two years later he also tried to set Goethe’s poem Mignon’s Verklärung (Mignon’s Transfiguration) to music (see RC 17*).

In his setting of the ballad Diepenbrock was led by Goethe’s description of Mignon’s recitation, as one can see by his directions in both the manuscript and print of the song containing a lengthy quotation:

The accompaniment must be played very softly throughout. The playing naive, simple and in accordance with Goethe’s words: “She began each verse solemnly and beautifully, as though she wanted to draw attention to something unusual, as though she wanted to convey something important. The phrase ‘do you know it?’ was expressed mysteriously and thoughtfully; the ‘There, there’ was filled with and irresistible yearning, and with each repetition she was able to modify her ‘Let us go’ in such a way that it was pleading and insistent, forceful and promising.”

Free declamatory form

Diepenbrock’s characterisation of his song Mignon (in programme notes which, though not signed, were most likely provided by him) as being written in an entirely free declamatory form, expresses the same idea. (BD V:724)

The voice sings the opening words “Kennst du das Land” (Do you know the land) without accompaniment. Characteristic of Diepenbrock’s flexible approach of the tempo are the indications tempo rubato, sehr langsam and the use of fermatas. The half-diminished seventh chord of the piano entry is reminiscent of Tristan and Isolde by Richard Wagner, a composer Diepenbrock greatly admired in his early years. The chord progression, which is repeated several times in Mignon, acts as a ‘question motive’. Mignon’s mood swings are mirrored by the direct succession of major and minor. The second strophe is more lively thanks to the leaps in the voice. Diepenbrock uses two consecutive ascending octave leaps to illustrate the word “Säulen” (columns).

It is said that it was not until 1 September 1905 that Diepenbrock heard the song performed, privately, by a professional singer, Pauline de Haan-Manifarges. In April 1907 she also gave the first performance of the orchestrated version of Mignon (RC 77). Thus, the composition received its premiere after 23 year

Do you know the land where the lemon trees blossom?
Among dark leaves the golden oranges glow.
A gentle breeze from blue skies drifts.
The myrtle is still, and the laurel stands high.
Do you know it well?
There, there would I go with you, my beloved.

Do you know the house? On pillars rests its roof.
The great hall glistens, the room shines,
and the marble statues stand and look at me, asking:
‘What have they done to you, poor child?’
Do you know it well? there, there
Would I go with you, oh my protector.

Do you know the mountain and its path?
The muletier searches in the clouds for his way;
in the caves dwell the dragon of the old breed.
The cliff falls, and over it the flood.
Do you know it well? There, there
leads our way; oh father, let us go!

SL-4

autograph (only known as photograph) dated on the last page 21 Jan. 1889